New UN Ambassador Susan Rice Supports Gay Rights Resolution

Excellent news coming from Dr. Susan E. Rice, the new United States ambassador to the United Nations. On her first day on the job, the new ambassador tells U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and top ambassadors the Barack Obama administration will collaborate more intensively with its international partners and respect human rights. That includes gay rights.

During Rice's confirmation hearings last week in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, she was asked about last month's historic United Nations resolution and the United States failure to support it. In a stark departure from the hard right conservatism of the Bush Administration, Rice flatly said the new administration believed it was "absolute necessity to prevent discrimination in any and all forms against any person or people on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation or any other basis." HRC Backstory has the transcript:

It’s important to highlight the process behind this declaration in the General Assembly, not necessarily a formal resolution, but one that sought to give voice to something that is very fundamental to President-elect Obama’s world view and indeed to all of us in his incoming administration and that is the absolute necessity to prevent discrimination in any and all forms against any person or people on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation or any other basis. The President-Elect has spoken frequently and eloquently about his profoundly held view that we are all human beings of equal worth and equal value and the corollary to that is discrimination in any form is absolutely unacceptable and while I can’t comment on what resolutions might come before the General Assembly in the future, I am confident that we will bring that principle to bear in our contemplation and deliberation of any such declaration that comes before the General Assembly.”

"I will listen. I will engage. And I will work to advance the United States interest, recognizing that in many, many instances, our national interests are best advanced when we are working hand in hand with that of others," Rice tells reporters on Monday, describing Washington's commitment to human rights.

What a breath of fresh air after eight years of a right-wing government chipping away at the rights of LGBT citizens at home, and, aiding and abetting state-sponsored homophobia in Africa and Europe.

Rice Lends Support to Condemning LGBT Discrimination [HRC Backstory]
UN Envoys Vows More Collaboration [WaPo]

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Comments

[Samuel I]

Wonderful! Yet another example of the Obama White House will be different from the Bush White House!

[Quniton M]

It's time for a "change" in more ways than one.

[kevjack]

I have been a fan of Susan since her work in the Clinton Admin. dealing with some African issues. This just makes me like her more. She is a great pick for the UN post, and I hope that in the second Obama term sh will have the chance to serve at Sec. of State.

[Mahmoud]

I am so heartened to read this. I hope Ambassador Rice, the Obama administration and White House will succeed. Especially in Africa where the governments are jailing and killing gays and lesbians.

By the way, I am new here, my name is Mahmoud, an Anglo African in London, my family is from Uganda. I just discovered this blog and enjoy it immenseley.

Peace my brothers,
Mahmoud

[the Gay Numbers]

I am so happy to see this. Thanks.

[FREELEO]

Can't you feel a brand new day?

[Mel Smith]

This is really excellent news to read. Our govt. impact will help persecuted people worldwide.

[Andy Niable]

Excellent development. Thanks again, Rod, for providing us with news like this that seems to get ignored by so many MSM and online services.